“BUT IT IS GOOD TO BE ZEALOUS IN A GOOD THING ALWAYS, and not only when I am present with you.”
Galatians 4:18 (NKJV)
• One of the basic elements that will build or develop your Christian character is zeal.
- Apostle Peter gave us seven progressive elements that will help us form a Christlike character:
5 “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith VIRTUE, to virtue KNOWLEDGE,
6 to knowledge SELF-CONTROL, to self-control PERSEVERANCE, to perseverance GODLINESS,
7 to godliness BROTHERLY KINDNESS, and to brotherly kindness LOVE" (2 Peter 1:5-7 NKJV).
• The amplified Bible refers to VIRTUE as excellence, resolution, or Christian energy.
- The Greek word for virtue is '‘aretē’', and it means force, strength of the mind, or body.
IT also means valour or manliness. - Another word for virtue is zeal.
Zeal means a Christian energy or enthusiasm for a cause or aim. - Add to your faith VIRTUE, that is, add to your faith ZEAL, Christian energy, or enthusiasm.
• Zeal is a sustaining force for Faith.
ZEAL is a personal act and a personal responsibility. No one can be zealous for you; A husband cannot be zealous for his wife, and the wife cannot for the husband as well.
- Having a zeal without knowledge can be dangerous and misguided. Someone could be zealous for God, but it could be dangerous without the relevant knowledge of believers' New Life in Christ:
1 BRETHREN, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 FOR I BEAR THEM WITNESS THAT THEY HAVE A ZEAL FOR GOD, BUT NOT ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDGE" (Romans 10:1,2). - The Israelites, Jews, were zealous for God but without knowledge. They were ignorant of the righteousness of God, they wanted to establish their own Righteousness through the works of the law (Romans 10:3).
- They wanted to receive justification by observing the law, whereas, Jesus Christ is the end of the law for righteousness:
3 FOR they being IGNORANT of God’s righteousness, AND SEEKING TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, have not SUBMITTED to the righteousness of God. 4 FOR CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES" (Romans 10:3,4 NKJV).
• You should not be zealous in being religious.
- The Galatians wanted to be zealous in the practice of Judaism, they wanted to be circumcised and practice the rituals of the Old Testament—the works of the law (Galatians 5:4).
READ: Galatians 1:6,7; 4:8-10; 2:16; 3:1-5. - Practicing the works of the law may look good and be appealing to the flesh, but has NO edification whatsoever. It would not add anything to you spiritually.
IT would neither enhance your growth nor strengthen your commitment, consecration, or steadfastness in God (Colossians 2:20-23).
20 THEREFORE, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, WHY, as though living in the world, DO YOU SUBJECT YOURSELVES TO REGULATIONS—
21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”
22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the COMMANDMENTS AND DOCTRINES OF MEN?
23 These things indeed HAVE an APPEARANCE of wisdom in SELF-IMPOSED RELIGION, FALSE HUMILITY, AND NEGLECT OF THE BODY [severe treatment of the body, asceticism], BUT ARE OF NO VALUE AGAINST THE INDULGENCE OF THE FLESH."
Colossians 2:20-23 (NKJV)
• Severe treatment of the body would not help mortify the flesh, put to death the deeds of the flesh, or be against the indulgence of the FLESH (Colossians 2:23).
- Whatever would not help deepens your commitment, consecration, and faithfulness in the Kingdom; does not worth doing at all.
- Asceticism, subjecting yourself to severe treatment of the body, for religious purposes, may look good; but it surely does not make you acceptable in the sight of God:
"BUT we know that NO ONE IS MADE RIGHT WITH GOD by following the law. IT IS TRUSTING IN JESUS CHRIST THAT MAKES A PERSON RIGHT WITH GOD. So we have put our faith in Christ Jesus, because we wanted to be made right with God. AND WE ARE RIGHT WITH HIM BECAUSE WE TRUSTED IN CHRIST—NOT BECAUSE WE FOLLOWED THE LAW. I [Paul] can say this because no one can be made right with God by following the law" (Galatians 2:16 Easy to Read Version). - Circumcision, severe treatment of the body, inflicting pains on your body, or denying yourself of basic necessities of Life in order to receive favour from God, or to receive answers to your prayers, means nothing to Him:
"WHEN SOMEONE BELONGS TO CHRIST JESUS, it is not important if they are circumcised or not. THE IMPORTANT THING IS FAITH—the kind of Faith that works through love" (Galatians 5:6 Easy to Read Version). - God is only moved by being a doer of His Word, the principles spelt out on the pages of the Scriptures (James 1:22,25); and NOT being ascetic—not by the strict way of living per se.
- Obedience to the instructions and things commanded in God's Word are more important than any subjection of yourself to severe treatment of the BODY in order to attract God's attention—receive His favour, or an answer to your prayer.
"BUT PROVE YOURSELVES DOERS OF THE WORD [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], AND NOT MERELY LISTENERS [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].
James 1:22 (AMPS)
• It is my prayer that you will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!